Romantic Opposites
by omegafire17
Summary: A dog boy and a cat girl, pretty much opposite each other in their preferences, yet surprisingly similar once you get past that. Twoshot fic, TamakiXKiba, Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Naruto franchise, nor any of it's characters.

 **Rating:** T

 **With so few fics on this couple, I wanted to see what I could do about that ;) Enjoy**

* * *

 _Konoha_

 _Animal Shelter_

"That's right, go ahead and eat" Tamaki assured the cats, who were eagerly chowing down, like their life depended upon it in fact. Standing up, she made sure not to disturb them, and was about to move on before she found herself face-to-face with her recently-appointed boss.

"Quite a few of those cats were some of the more willful ones, never wanting to eat unless they wanted to, even if they were otherwise hungry" the woman said. "How have you persuaded them, Tamaki?"

Tamaki smiled. "Well, I have a way with cats" she said easily, hands in front of her. "You have to handle them right, including those with willful attitudes. But, there is a little trick to it."

"Please, tell me."

"Well, one of the few basic tricks I can do with chakra, is manipulate my breath to smell like catnip" she gently explained, remembering the 'vapor' clouds of the stuff she'd used earlier. "If I wanted to, I could probably flood this whole place with the stuff."

Just as her boss tried to respond:

"Hey, Tamaki!"

Surprised, she turned around: just behind the entrance doors, stood Kiba and Akamaru's profiles. "Your shift over yet?" he called over, probably grinning... which promptly disappeared in confusion at her laughter, or so she thought. "Huh? What's that about?"

"That's fifteen minutes away" she called - he's always in a rush. "You're early again."

"What!? Oh man!"

Luckily for both of them though, her boss was quick to say she'd done a lot today, and achieved a breakthrough regarding those willful cats. Which in practice meant that, despite her little protests, meant she got off early with no pay deduction.

...

 _Park_

"If that woman dared to dock your pay, I probably would've laid into her, even if she is your boss" Kiba grumbled beside her, standing near the bench, if turned away. Between them both, Akamaru was semi-protecting his master from 'her', trying to give her a dog stick-eye whenever she so much as looked at him... hehe, yeah, she'd seen from the beginning that he regards her as a small threat, a competition he intends to win.

Even if said master and herself are still just friends - but there's obviously _something_ there, and he's resistant to this.

"It's fine, Kiba" Tamaki assured, just enjoying everything. "Besides, I like spending time there, taking care of all those animals. Just as I like spending time _here_ , seeing people with their beloved pets."

Kiba smirked a little. "Which for the most part, are dogs" he said proudly, gesturing a bit as he faced her... and because he was on a role, didn't falter at all, which annoyed Akamaru. "Cats don't like being walked, even if they are outdoor types- and besides, why does anyone like those little critters anyway? The cuteness of a dog _far_ surpasses that of a cat after all!"

"I'm not denying that dogs are cute" she said, laughing, enjoying this too. "But I don't think you've seen a cat curled into a ball, purring loudly as you stroke them, trying to make sure we never stop loving them. And then of course, those lidded sleepy eyes of their's-"

"Hey, let's not get into specifics" Kiba interrupted, pointing a finger at her. "You could probably list enough to fill up this park, and it _still_ might not convince me. Sure I can handle cats if need be, like protecting them from really bad dogs, but that's different from being around them for no reason."

Tamaki hummed, looking at him with a teasing smile. "But until you listen, how will you know?" she questioned, enjoying how his look faltered a bit, knowing she had him there (even if he'll deny it). "Besides, don't I get to try? You say a lot about Akamaru's details after all."

"Because he's special to me."

"I don't doubt it" she added, more gentle, mostly aimed at Akamaru himself (though judging by Kiba's jolt, he was affected too). "I haven't heard anyone else talk about their partner like that."

Akamaru's 'scowl' almost eased completely, but he glanced away pointedly.

Despite this, Tamaki smiled; it'd made an impression on Akamaru, hopefully a good one that lasted. Of course she knows he's not a dumb beast, and that his resistance isn't out of jealousy but rather loyalty to his master, a duty to protect him from harm of any kind, including things that might distract him. She'd recognized all these signs, having trained/helped out several Ninja Cats herself, among other things in Sora-ku. Given Kiba's frequent boasts about improving himself, eventually working to become Hokage, no doubt Akamaru saw her as such a distraction. In time, she knew that eventually he'd get used to her, showing more and more of that sweet side he's known for, as well as caring about her.

"Yeah, well- I uh- hmph."

She had to resist a giggle, knowing that grumble is Kiba's way of trying (and currently failing) to get back on track. A quick glance showed he's turned away again, trying to stall, least till he got his composure back.

Hehehehe- he's silly sometimes. Usually through his boasting, which she'd realized from the beginning sometimes had blatant lies, convenient half-truths, and similar things. Some might see that as a sign that he's 'all bark', but in her opinion, Kiba and Akamaru are as far removed from that as can possibly be... and besides, Tamaki found it charming, as she did how open he is with his opinions. Were she truly alone with him, perhaps she could've tried being forward - yet of course, she isn't alone with him, and his partner's still mixed about her being friends with him, let alone _more_. Then she just felt content, listening to herself think these thoughts; maybe it'll happen, or maybe not, but either way she has to _know_ which it is first before she tries anything.

/

 _Later; nighttime_

Honestly, what's with this girl being in his head?

Kiba turned on his side, trying to bury himself within the sheets, though making sure he didn't tear anything. "She's a cat type of girl" he breathed to himself, teeth gritted a little. "Even if they're pretty, or smart, or anything at all good, they're basically mortal enemies of my clan for owning those fuzzy things."

Seconds after he said it, he just slumped- it didn't sound that convincing to _himself_ , much less anyone he'd tried to argue it to, so that's out.

Don't get things wrong; he didn't click with cats, with he + his clan basically dog types by nature, to say nothing of their actual partners. Before, he probably wouldn't have gone within a hundred feet of a cat unless it's required- and if it was, he'd do his job of protecting it as necessary, then want nothing more to do with them. _Now_ , he's losing his ability to detest the things, even if he knew he's never gonna fully like them, if _at all_ \- they didn't react well to him either, and that's fine. Besides, Akamaru and he have been together for a long time, and he's certainly not gonna hang around cats just because he's losing his 'hate'.

So, by that logic... he can't be around Tamaki...

*sigh*

If it'd been years ago, he probably would've agreed no question- but now he's pretty sure that can't happen. She may be a girl who likes cats, with him and Akamaru preferring not to be near them, but that doesn't mean they can't be friends... _of course_ they can be, particularly since she's here in Konoha alone, and like hell if he's gonna leave her without friends that aren't work-related...

She deserves some because she's a kind-yet-determined person, and he's happy to oblige. That's all that's going on.

...mmh, no, he's not completely convinced with _that_ either.

"Gah" he breathed, annoyed; this wasn't like him, all wallowing on doubts and such. He needed to run this off, get around all the unneeded thoughts... and matter-of-fact, that's a good idea, leaving him to grin even as he quietly got out of bed; sorry Akamaru, but this dog's gonna need some late-night exercise alone.

/

Ah, now this is more like it! If it wasn't for the fact that it's late night, and thus people should be in bed/going to bed by now, he'd probably have mock-howled a few times- but can't have complaints get to Kakashi, because that'd hurt his chances for his Hokage dream to come true.

"Would've been a perfect time for howling too" Kiba said, grinning from his treetop spot. "No one around for about twenty meters, except one nearby- *sniff* Gah, catnip" he groused, hating that smell; he knew it drove 'them' crazy, but to him it's just obnoxious.

Heh, it's like they've doused themselves in it though, enough to cover most other scents- better check this for himself, since he's here and all.

Moving down the tree with precision, he soon moved to several other trees, looking to see that it was-

-Tamaki.

"What the-?" he breathed, a bit shocked, but unfortunately lost his grip (and realized this too late)- he fell through several smaller branches, each breaking his fall, as did a bush. Several small wounds stung, but like that was gonna stop him; he shook his whole body, which got a sound out of someone nearby, and he quickly turned/looked up to see it was her... despite himself, this caused his mouth to stop working.

"Are you okay?" Tamaki asked, a bit worried as she bent down, looking over the visible cuts.

Now would've been a perfect time to say he's handled much worse, because he _has_... sure, she doesn't think he's dying or anything, but this isn't worth worrying about... yet he can't get his own mouth to work right now! Instead, Kiba kept noticing random things, like how she'd forced herself into parts of the bush to get closer, and didn't appear to notice or mind... heh, so Tamaki's a hands-on type, and didn't mind getting that kimino/short pants combo or her skin dirty.

Hmm.

"Kiba?"

He forced himself to get a grip; he's talked to plenty of girls, and Tamaki shouldn't be any different, end of story! "I'm fine" he said shortly, too much in fact, so he toned it down. "Uh, really, I'm good. I've handled much worse than this, believe me" he continued, trying not to look at her as he stood up, yanking his leg through a tangle of branches.

She stood up with him, if after a moment. "You don't have to turn away from me" she said, but gentle. "Even if you're at a loss for words."

"W-What the heck's that supposed to mean!?" he blustered, but inwardly a little freaked; how did she see that!?

"Kiba" Tamaki breathed, humming. "I've seen it a lot; every time you first see me, you tend to freeze up for a little, then unfreeze and act more like yourself."

His mouth twisted; okay, she's good, he'll give her that.

"Yeah, well, what's your point?" Kiba asked, turning toward her. "And while I'm at it, why are you walking around in the middle of the night, doused in the smell of catnip? I swear I could smell you from ten miles away."

He didn't mean to add that last part, but it just came out, leaving him to wearily prepare for the offense... girls didn't tend to like being told they smell, even if true. But to his surprise, Tamaki didn't react at all to that statement, simply smiling. "As far as my point, I'm not entirely sure yet, but I'll see where it goes" she said, to his blink; _she_ didn't even know? "As for why I smell like catnip, well- that's my little secret."

"Oh come on! I just asked, didn't I!?"

"Hehe."

Groaning a little, he just decided to fall backward, resting upon the grass- Tamaki looked down at him from where she stood, seeming curious. "You're just weird sometimes" Kiba said, adjusting a bit. "Liking cats is one thing, but do you have to be like this too?"

"What, playing with you?" Tamaki asked, walking closer a bit, before (to his jolt) sitting beside him on the grass. "It's all in good fun" she teased.

That statement caused him to grin a little. "Playing with me and not being afraid to admit it? You've got guts" he said easily, even as Tamaki put her arms behind her head, laying down. "But seriously, what's with your smell?"

Tamaki smirked a little, not even looking at him. "That's mean" she teased, giggling for a sec. "If you'd gone overboard about it, you'd be seeing my bad side. But honestly, I smell like it because I was helping feed cats at the shelter, having been asked for an extra shift. I was on my way home when I came across you falling out of that tree."

"Hey, I didn't fall; I did that on purpose!" he retorted. "It hardens the body after awhile."

A small glance in his direction, but she only closed her eyes, smirk widening... grr, she's probably seeing right through him! "Whatever works for you" Tamaki whispered with a hum, making him feel odd. "But anyway, that's why I 'smell', Kiba."

"Yeah, 'why', not the details of 'how" Kiba grumbled, arms crossed. "Guess that's part of the secret too."

"You really wanna know?" she asked - he answered that with a look, but Tamaki was unfazed. "A little technique of mine, regarding catnip."

He slowly raised an eyebrow, lifting his head. "Technique as in 'ninja technique', or just an expression?" he asked slowly.

Tamaki laughed as sat up, one hand up near her mouth- a definite hand sign, and he smelled the slight change in her chakra. She breathed in... then spewed a small shower of catnip into the air, which the wind helped carry away, and thankfully not _toward_ them.

Interested now, he laughed. "You've got a few tricks up your sleeve" Kiba noted, approving- Tamaki merely gave her usual smile. "Any chance you're a ninja, and just never told me?"

"I've helped train several Ninja Cats; you can't do that without learning a few things" she breathed, gentle. "But I never went through Academy training or anything like that, so I probably wouldn't hold a candle to you" she added, before grinning. "Before/after your boasts, of course."

Oho, she's definitely not afraid to speak her mind; Kiba grinned back. "I'd be more than pleased to show you what I'm capable of, to help you learn" he stated, holding up his arms in a little pose. "Akamaru and I, we know our stuff!"

...

That entire 'I'd be pleased' statement, she'd wanted to laugh, but settled for an enjoying-this smile. Yet at the same time, Tamaki saw Kiba hadn't yet caught onto Akamaru's behavior toward her - they all understood the cat angle, but Kiba had yet to understand (or didn't want to see) the angle that she saw, which had to happen sooner or later.

"Oh, I don't know about Akamaru, Kiba" she breathed, turning on her side toward him. "I know he's skilled, but I'm a cat girl; don't deny it, because I know you've thought it" she continued, adding that last part when he opened his mouth. "He'd probably enjoy the chance to hurt me."

"Hey, Akamaru may not like cats, but he's not _that_ cold."

A little smile. "I know" Tamaki answered, more intent now. "I've heard the tales of your protecting them from mean dogs. But what about if it's for your sake?"

Kiba blinked, at a loss. "The heck? What do you mean 'for my sake', Tamaki?" he asked

"Akamaru doesn't exactly approve of me" she answered, he making a little motion of 'Yeah, so what?'. "It's not just because I'm a cat girl, dog boy (he jolted, surprised; she smiled more); it's because he's trying to protect you."

"...from what?" he asked, skeptical but listening.

"From me" she said, hitting the nail on the head; his face went 'what?'. "All this time, you've stated your dream of getting stronger, one day becoming Hokage even. Don't you think Akamaru would see me as a distraction that way?"

"But that's-" Kiba started to say hotly, before he stalled. "He- it isn't that- gah-"

Any other time, Tamaki probably would've waited till he ran out of steam - instead, she moved closer; Kiba didn't notice until she'd stopped _really_ close, which made his face turn redder, if low-key.

"Just friends as we are now, or possibly more, Akamaru is against us right now" she whispered, doing her best to be gentle. "I've been making small steps with him, but you know him better than anyone else, Kiba. Before all else, you two would need to come to an understanding."

"'P-Possibly more'" he repeated, blinking. "'All else'. What are you saying, Tamaki!?"

"Kiba!"

Jolted out of it, he managed to close his mouth, but still a bit red from her closeness.

Tamaki looked at him a little, trying to figure his thoughts, and slowly smiled- she moved away, enough that she's close but not too-close, which he certainly noticed. "What I'm saying?" she whispered. "That I think we both want _something_ to happen between us. Maybe you want to kiss me, maybe I want to kiss you, maybe both of us do-"

He actually gulped, slightly anyway.

"-but either way, it isn't that simple" she continued, more gentle. "If we did 'more' of any kind, Akamaru would smell my scent on you... then he might turn hostile. Knowing how close you are, I'd rather he knew before anything happened, if you'll agree."

When a few seconds passed, Tamaki determined that he wasn't able to talk right now, so she pulled away and stood up. "Come on, dog boy" she called down, smirking a little, hands on her hips. "It's getting late; we gotta get home."

A blink, then Kiba went from shock to standing in zero-to-sixty. "I-I know that!" he said, fairly loud, but only as a cover... she could see he's trying to figure out what happened. Did she really like him, or was she playing with him? And if she did like him, did he like her enough to respond that way, or not, or what's the case?

Stuff like that.

"Get going then" she added. "We can hang out more tomorrow, if we're both free."

"But..." he started, seeming awkward. "Isn't this... shouldn't I walk you home, or something? Or isn't that what I'm supposed to _offer_?"

Her only response was to laugh, to his confusion. "That's only for when in a relationship, or from gentlemen" Tamaki pointed out, playful. "You're a lot of things, Kiba, but you're not a gentlemen."

"Oh, is that so?" he questioned, going 'Hmph' before promptly walking away... she waited till he turned around, which is about when the fake-wounded act gave out. Kiba glanced toward her, having a little smirk as he did so, before chuckling, "Next time, Tamaki, I'm really gonna get you back for that comment" he stated sincerely, pointing at her for a bit before back at himself. "To quote a friend of mine, 'Believe it'."

Then just like that, he jumped up into the trees again, and was soon out of sight.

Tamaki laughed; if she's seeing this correctly, Kiba had been interested in her before but simply didn't know it, regarding either of their interests. Now though... now he _had_ to know about her interest, as she'd all but said they should kiss, and was fine with the idea; his own interest would need some soul-searching, and she can't help him with that, unless he confides in her.

Yet until then, the only thing left was Akamaru's reaction to the possibility...

"Good luck, Kiba" she said to the empty air, before turning to go home. "And Akamaru, I hope you'll accept this, now or in time."

/

Oh man, he's in such _major_ trouble... and unless he decides to get her out of his head, there's no avoiding this...

A self-proclaimed cat girl, who's fine with the title btw, enjoyed hanging out with him, a 'dog boy'. On it's own, means certain adjustments, but there's nothing wrong with being friends and all that- now though, she all-but said she's interested in him, and there's no way to misread that forwardness. Or at least, there's no way _he_ could misread it, because he wasn't like- anyway, Tamaki's attracted to him, seemingly. And he... well, he... gah, he didn't _dislike_ any part of her thus far, and couldn't even bring himself to hate her preference for cats over dogs. Not to mention, he kept seeing her in his head sometimes: her smile, those brown eyes, the way she handled herself around him (aware of this traits, even seeing right through them on occasion, yet enjoyed them for the most part), her figure- woah, okay, getting weird with that.

After all, sure he's somewhat impulsive, but he's not shallow or anything like that. Heh, just ask Shino or Hinata about it; even now, those two are still his oldest best friends, and he wanted what's best for them.

 _"Hinata's certainly gotten her wish"_ Kiba thought then, remembering her at the wedding- it brought a smile to his face. _"Still... much as I won't 'focus' on Tamaki's figure, it's not a bad one, that's for sure."_

Besides, there's still the whole facts angle... she had no problem with the idea, he apparently didn't either (if still thinking here)... only his partner remained.

"Akamaru..."

He didn't how much Tamaki said was true, or if any part of it was true; all he knew was Akamaru's aloof whenever she's around. The only time he dropped it were those few times she'd brought treats, thinking he'd like them, and even then it's only temporary...

Kiba sighed, then stood up. "Well, I have to confront this at some point" he said, pounding his fists once, which stimulated him. "Better sooner than later, I say."

* * *

 **Admittedly, we haven't seen much of Tamaki - so for her personality, I based it around her short appearance in the epilogue, while also adding in bits from appearances before that. A nice girl at heart overall, yet not a pushover (briefly seen during her appearance in Pt. II), and has a playful-teasing side. With any luck, it's a good portrayal :P**

 **Kiba was a bit harder, having to write him as impulsive and head-strong, a bit of a cocky loudmouth, etc, yet also good at the core. I think I did well enough, but if you think otherwise, I'd like to know.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Naruto franchise, nor any of it's characters.

 **Rating:** T

 **Enjoy**

* * *

 _Pet Hospital_

 _Several days later_

"Easy now" Tamaki soothed, but her 'patient' didn't want to stay. "Hey, hold still; I know you hate this, but it's gotta be done."

Thankfully the puppy seemed calmer from her tone, but she had to keep her distracted, while the one actually doing the injections came up from behind. The puppy nearly whimpered upon administration, but Tamaki gently soothed/rubbed at her fur, showing she's here.

"You have a knack for this, even with puppies."

"Thank you."

The administration itself was soon finished, with that being her last task today - Tamaki checked the time, seeing that it's still not too late, as she could find Kiba or Shino, and perhaps meet up with either/both of them. Still, she knew she's lucky with this internship, being able to fit it into her schedule. Then again, the internship only allowed her to 'work' for two-three hours per day, for several days spread across the week, so she's not only able to fit it in but still left her plenty of time for other things. For now, she'll make sure to help the animals, but overtime she hopes to upgrade to a permanent vet job, which means she'll have to say goodbye the animal shelter at some point.

But until then, she'll make sure to enjoy taking care of them.

Checking herself out at the front entrance, she folded up her vet uniform with a little smile, then walked out the door-

-and immediately noticed someone leaning against the building's side.

 _"Kiba?"_ Tamaki wondered, glancing him over- how long had he been there? And why was he just standing there, because if he'd been there for any length of time, the least he'd have done by now is call for her, walk into the building and make 'a scene', or even just be impatiently waiting in the reception area... not like this. And now that she noticed, aside from the arms crossed angle, he looked a little too still, too restrained- plus he didn't seem to have noticed her. This seemed unlikely, as he/his clan tended to train their noses and/or ears to be as good as canine's... if he hasn't noticed her yet, he might be self-focused on something.

Slowly, she moved forward a little. "Kiba?"

Only after a second did he open his eyes, not directly looking at her. "Hey."

Mmh... he's not even 'distracted' by her, however briefly. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"You could say that" he breathed, glancing up. "I had that talk with Akamaru."

That statement, combined with Akamaru's absence, and Tamaki instantly understood; the talk about 'them'. Several emotions came to mind, not the least of which was worry, for both Kiba and Akamaru - the latter wasn't at his side, and now that she looked closer, Kiba had several half-healed scratches on the right side of his face.

Kiba looked back then, noticed her glance, eyes glancing 'down' at his own cheeks. "Those aren't what you think" he said offhandedly, looking away. "They were an accident, well before the actual talk."

A little relief; okay, so they weren't scratch marks made in anger - slowly, Tamaki reached out and touched his shoulder, trying to be comforting. He moved slightly upon the touch, with little reaction otherwise, but she slowly leaned against the building beside Kiba, keeping her hand there.

Seconds passed in silence.

He gave off a long sigh. "The long and short of it," Kiba started, glancing at her. "well, you're right: Akamaru's mixed about you, or least your 'threat' of slowing me down. He likes you as a person though, Tamaki, don't mistake that... and he certainly likes the treats."

She gave a little smile. "Well, that's good to know" she whispered, glancing up at the sky. "I always thought Akamaru was fine with my personality, how nice I am, but the 'threat' of me distracting from your goals was unacceptable. He's a loyal companion doing his best to protect you from that; I saw it from the beginning."

"Mmh. That's one of the things I 'fought' with Akamaru too, among many, _many_ other things- that's one of the longest arguments we've ever had" Kiba continued, before rubbing at his throat. "You have no idea how hoarse I was after Akamaru ran off, or how dry my mouth was either."

Tamaki rubbed his shoulder a bit, worried. "Why'd he run off?" she asked, faint. "Was he that mad?"

"No, it- it wasn't that he was mad, just- you ever feel a time when you're so full of emotions that you can't stay still?" Kiba asked, looking straight at her... and in that moment, showed he's struggling a little inside. "That you just have to physically run or tear something apart? Stuff like that?"

She glanced down, slowly nodding. "I personally haven't, but I've seen it before" she breathed, mouth twisting a bit. "I hope Akamaru's working things out."

Kiba slowly looked up at the sky himself, gaze far-off. "He will" he said, eyes closing. "Akamaru will work things out eventually."

Another few seconds passed- Tamaki wanted to lean closer to him, comfort him more, but knew it wouldn't be appropriate. "Yeah" she agreed, if still faint. "You've told me all about him, Kiba, that he's been with you since he was a puppy. He'll come back to you, and you'll work things out; he'll still be your partner."

"I'm not worried about _that_. It's just... it's just been a long time, since we've been apart this long."

Yet again, she rubbed at his shoulder, trying to soothe his struggle- he did nothing to stop it.

"He'll be back, Kiba" Tamaki assured, more gentle. "I know that's a certainty, but still."

Eyes closed, Kiba nonetheless managed a little smile, nodding.

"And speaking of 'still's', I've never seen you this restrained before" she continued, same tone. "Is there anything that would cheer you up?"

His eyes opened then, and he looked straight at her. "Look, Tamaki, I appreciate your trying to make me feel better, but you don't need to avoid asking what I've decided" he said, to her little surprise. "Yes, I'm a little down, but I'm not depressed or anything... plus, Akamaru running off doesn't mean anything's unresolved."

Tamaki tilted her head, curiously confused.

He slowly went 'Heh', shaking his head, seeming to grin (if only a little). "During that talk, through all the ups and downs, we went back-and-forth on the whole list of questions" Kiba stated, sounding more like his normal self. "Akamaru's run off because he's trying to figure out what works/doesn't work for him. What works for _me_ though, isn't his decision; we were agreed on that."

After a moment, the implications made her heart beat faster, though she noticed he's still not planning on moving (for right now). "Oh" she breathed, a little wondering.

Kiba kept up the look a little, before looking up at the sky again. "You said we both want stuff to happen, or heavily implied it" he stated, slowly smirking, showing more of his canine-like teeth. "Are you really prepared for what that entails, Tamaki? 'Dog boys' like me can be quite wild."

Tamaki looked at him, then slowly gave off her own playful smile. "Is that an offer, Kiba?" she asked, interested. "And if you're agreed, what would Akamaru have to say if he found us 'involved', hmm? Hopefully nothing bad."

He waved a hand briefly. "The gist of it is the more we do at once, 'potentially', the less impressed he'll be" Kiba stated, quite knowingly. "And quite a few barks about if you 'dare' to come near me anyway, you'll have to prove yourself."

Proving herself to a ninja-trained canine- depending on what Akamaru thought and how he felt overall, that could go several ways. At the same time, she was a little off about Kiba ignoring her tone - maybe that payback he'd claimed? - but otherwise kept the smile: "Well, I can handle quite a few barks" Tamaki assured. "If he tries to bite me though, then I'll know he means business."

"And growling wouldn't mean business?" Kiba asked, eyebrow raised, but with a small grin.

She giggled. "That'd do it too" she said easily, head tilted. "As would the warning signs of a curled lip that shows teeth, a very stiff posture, and any aggressive barking. It's all about behavioral cues with these types of partners."

At that, he leaned away from the building wall, arms crossed, but more in an 'interested' type of posture. "You know your stuff" he said easily, chuckling. "But how much credit can I give you? For a vet, all that must be basic school level, even if you are a cat girl."

"I didn't learn from school; that's from experience. Cats weren't the only partners I interacted with" Tamaki teased. "As for credit, I don't need any from you, dog boy."

"Hey, this is supposed to be me getting back at you, not the other way around!"

...

For awhile, they continued to talk - sometimes 'arguing' (sorta), and sometimes just normal stuff. For his part, Kiba thought she's truly patient; he'd 'implied' he's about to give an answer to what's next for them, and while curious, she's playing along with his 'deny her an answer' get-back behavior right now. This included when at some point, he just started walking away from the vet center, seeing as they couldn't stand there all day- he wasn't sure where he's going, but even still. Tamaki kept up with him, not attempting to suggest anywhere and simply keeping up their banter, despite all his attempts to make sure he's dominating in that area (as part of the get-back).

Great... don't tell him she's not gonna make it easy...

"So tell me something" Kiba finally said, still walking - well, whether it's hard or not, best get straight to things since this tease is becoming drawn-out. He didn't know it yet since he's focused, but they'd walked into the same park, that they always came to after work.

"Hmm?"

Then he suddenly turned, right in front of her (she quickly stopped), just grinning at her like his usual self; her surprised expression helped. "So I imply that I'm gonna answer 'what's next for us', and then don't do so as a tease; you play along, Tamaki" he said, waving a hand. "I get what you're doing, but how long are you gonna do it? Eventually a cat girl like you will want an answer, right?"

Tamaki considered this, seeming interested, but just smiled like normal. "Eventually, Kiba" she admitted, hands behind her back.

"You're still doing it" he pointed out, getting a little irritated. "You _want_ me to give my answer, and yet still you're doing it. Why?"

"Because you like it, dog boy" she teased, giving this almost one-sided little grin- not unlike his own sometimes, part of his brain noticed. "Or are you gonna deny that?"

"I'm not!" Kiba retorted. "But even if I like it, not playing with a dog when he's playing, or trying to- it gets old. And right now, this situation of you not playing along with me is getting old."

A small raised eyebrow, still quite interested, her gaze a bit lidded. "Ooohhh, really?" she drew out, still completely teasing. "Then perhaps it's time to try this approach instead."

In one fell swoop she'd stepped closer to him, placed a hand on the back of his neck, the other grasping his collar, then pulled his head down with both hands. With his reflexes, he could've easily stopped her at any point, but he never saw any intention to hurt him- and besides, by the time he realized _exactly_ what she's doing, he was too preoccupied with his face suddenly being inches from hers. His previous confidence kinda faltered, leaving him unable to say anything, even as Tamaki was surprisingly blush-free, still smiling even. They remained that way for a bit, even as her gaze softened, if still remaining full of that inner playful/serious combo she tended to use... except for her fingers making small motions on his neck, which were just soft.

"Does _this_ work for you, Kiba?" Tamaki whispered. "If not, there's still time to back down."

Somehow, Kiba managed a small grin, if for a moment. "Didn't you know, Tamaki? Dogs, and their wolf ancestors, enjoy closeness more than anything" he told her - honestly, he didn't know why he's suddenly so fine, but he's not gonna question it. "So yeah, I'm good with this, more than I have a right to be. And I don't back down from _anything_."

"Then assuming your answer, should I get even closer?" she breathed, just a bit more intense-

-which he's gotta say absolutely _works_ for her.

One second they were inches apart, and the next they're suddenly pressed together- yes 'they', considering Tamaki moved the same instant he did. But any such thoughts left his mind when he registered the feel of her lips; _oh yes_ , that's a sensation he can get used to, and soon his instincts took over. Not to say he's 'good' good (probably not, though he'd say otherwise), but what he lacked in grace, he made up for in spirit and 'passion'- something Tamaki certainly didn't seem to mind. If anything, she was returning the favor in her own way, even if only to match him... but the way her fingers moved over his neck made him think, or feel, that it wasn't _just_ for that...

For a few seconds, he'd even gone to that open-mouth stage - she seemed noticeably slower afterward, but he'd only planned that far anyway.

Quickly, Kiba pulled back, catching his breath for a moment... yet despite this, Tamaki made it so he couldn't get far...

After a moment: "Seems you were right, Kiba" she breathed, still a bit intense, which made him react. "A dog boy like you, is quite an experience, even on his first try."

Maybe it was the kiss scrambling his brain, or his small 'feel' over something being off, but he remained silent- it even made Tamaki's expression flicker from surprise. For a moment, he just looked at her, then glanced downward, seeing his own hands had moved to her waist somewhere along the way... he moved them slightly up for a better grip, before looking back at her...

Tamaki opened her mouth to say something-

-before she could, he'd kissed her again.

After a second of surprise, she had no trouble returning it, grip on his neck moving up into his hair, which he might like better. Either way though, this kiss _definitely_ went on twice as long as the first, even if at the exact same intensity- neither of them minded, even when it ended.

Staring at each other for a bit, Kiba broke the silence, grinning a little. "So, clearly those two weren't your 'first try'" he stated. "You were a little too practiced for that to be the case."

After a moment, Tamaki giggled, hands moving down from his head/neck, to over his arms-then-hands. "Guess you got me" she teased, but gentle, moving their hands to in-between themselves. "There were a few kisses before I came to The Leaf, but I'm not experienced beyond that, and certainly not in general. How'd you know?"

"I may not be an expert on romance, despite what I might claim at times, but I'm a shinobi, Tamaki" he stated, a little cocky, but only a little. "I can tell when a technique's practiced, just from certain cues. Making an exact guess at 'how much' is sometimes harder, but even still."

That little side-grin again. "I should've expected nothing less from you, Kiba."

"Yeah, you should've" he answered, chuckling even as she returned the favor- then after that, he glanced down at their hands.

Tamaki noticed: "What? Something wrong?" she teased.

He looked at her, that little side-grin, alongside all the internal likes/such he'd stated in his head before... Akamaru's still out there, and once he's back they'll probably be some sort of trouble, but he had a girlfriend now...

Heh, yeah he did!

Kiba just grinned, squeezing her hands. "Nothing at all" he stated, quite easily. "But now that we've kissed, we gotta find somewhere to eat."

Surprised, Tamaki raised an eyebrow, as if interested.

"Come on, it's practically Dating 101, which even I know: the guy typically kisses the girl after the first date" he teased back, grinning, even as he then pulled her after him; despite the surprise, she kept up, not minding the arrangement. "Sometimes the reverse happens in practice, or both at once, but whatever. The question remains: are you feeling up for a date, Tamaki?"

She laughed, long and hard and thoroughly enjoying this; it was music to his ears.

"Lead the way, Kiba" she answered, grinning.

...

 _Ichraku Ramen_

Well, this result was certainly better than she'd expected- but it's a very good thing. As far as date locations, it probably wouldn't get top listing on most womens' lists, but Tamaki found she couldn't care less- plus knowing Kiba, he wasn't the type for 'fancy' places anyway... but it _did_ give her the amusing notion of him eating like Akamaru.

A little much, certainly not true, but worth a laugh later.

"And already you're impressing me" Kiba said beside her, slurping up noodles with a smirk. "Sorta anyway, in a small category."

"Why? Because I didn't complain that our first date's eating here?" Tamaki teased back, shrugging. "I like cozy places more than fancy, which I haven't had the pleasure to experience yet."

Kiba got an odd expression, as if trying to figure out what she's _really_ saying with that, but it soon got distracted by the owner's comment (that she had good taste). She gave Kiba a little grin at that, saying obviously he has good taste too, to his little grin, which changed in a hurry when she said it was for taking her here, rather than the obvious implications.

"Well if nothing else, you're sure not making things dull" he grumbled after that, while she had to restrain giggles. "As expected of a cat girl."

"Don't worry too much, if you're worried at all, dog boy" Tamaki teased, if only a little. "I'm playing things up today because you like them. It probably won't be the norm for _every_ day; that'd get old, real fast."

Despite his grumbling demeanor, there was a very-quick glance at her, and his eyes were gleaming.

"Well, well, well..."

Surprised, they turned around from their spots- Shino stood there, most of his face hidden as per norm, making it difficult to tell what his expression was.

"I saw it, when you two had your 'love-at-first-sight' moment, but I didn't think you'd actually come around, Kiba."

Kiba made a small growl, but merely annoyed for the moment. "Yeah, well, it happened" he retorted, without any real bite. "After all, Shino, name a shinobi who thought Naruto would suddenly get it without help? Or that Sasuke would actually come around to Sakura? They both happened, with some help."

Shino looked at her- she could tell because his head moved. "Did you 'help' Kiba that way, Tamaki?"

Just as she opened her mouth: "Don't answer that" Kiba interjected, before rubbing at his hair. "I'm not about to have 'clueless' teases leveled at me!"

Tamaki grinned a little. "Even if they're true?" she asked, completely teasing.

"Hey!"

"Kidding!" she cheered, giggling. "But to answer the question, Shino, it was mutual."

She didn't see much, but from small movements of his visible facial muscles, he gave her the impression that he's unconvinced. "Right, sure" he said, rather flat- a dead giveaway there too. "I'll believe that."

"Well it's true!" Kiba answered, loudly of course and drawing attention. "But anyway Shino, we're on a date; that's a fact."

"I can see that, but in return for keeping quiet, you'll owe me, Kiba."

Was it her imagination, or was Shino actually being teasing? It's difficult to tell, but clearly he'd seen right through her little act, if helped by her not putting much effort into it - plus afterward, Shino started walking away without concern, or looking like it anyway. Kiba slowly relaxed afterward, turning toward her- his look was mixed, and part of that's some irritation at her. "I told you not to answer, Tamaki" he said, sounding similar, arms crossed even.

Tamaki just shrugged, smirking. "You're not the boss of me, Kiba" she teased, stirring her noodles. "Oh, sorry; 'alpha', I should say. And besides, I told him the truth, that our relationship was mutually agreed upon."

For a few moments, he tried to look severe at her... but eventually just sighed big, turning back to his bowl. "Well, it's not like he wouldn't have figured it out anyway" Kiba groused. "Shino may be quiet and a little creepy, but he's a smart one... not to mention, the sooner the better and all that, not just from Shino but the others as well. I just don't appreciate being made to look like a fool!"

"Where in all that did I make you look like a fool?" she asked, slightly challenging. "Hmm?"

His grin soon returned. "Okay, now this is more like it" he said in an undertone, before louder: "Well for starters-!"

The list of perceived reasons why she'd made him look like a fool went on awhile - the entire time, Tamaki had to keep from laughing out loud, but the occasional giggle slipped out, and oftentimes her body would shake from said suppressed laughter. But honestly, she wouldn't have it any other way; his boasts were pretty entertaining a lot of the time, and so she enjoyed that show while she ate.

Not bad at all, this first date of theirs, even if just the beginning.

* * *

 **As said in the summary, just a two-shot for this story, but still giving a little more to this under-developed pairing ;) Hope you've all liked it**


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